Stop Smoking !

[The Man]

I smoke..I need to quit.
Its tough to quit...I have tried but always come back to em.
This is the official support thread to kick the habit.
Today I will limit myself to 7 cigarettes as an effort to wean myself from cigarettes.

If you have successfully quit,share with us what worked for you.

 

[NuckingFuts]

I quit for 3 years one time. Then I had a bad day at work and started again. The last time I quit was for 3 months. But I am back at it again. Im not sure what advice I can give you, since I can't seem to kick it myself.

 

[The Man]

I made it close to a year once....essentially wanted one the entire time.
I think it takes ages to rid the body of the nicotine.

It takes a long time to become hooked...but then when you are you have a large dose of nicotine in you...am just guessing here.

 

[The Man]

I just googled the half life of nicotine in the body...its about 60 minutes so that blows my theory above
The nicotine is essentially gone in a few hours as a result.
So why do we get hooked on em?
They dont make us feel good nor do they taste that great either.
Perhaps there is something to these pills that help with the craving for a cigarette.
Any one have any luck with em?....Which kind?

 

[Accountable]

I posted this some years back in another forum. I'm told that it helped at least one person quit successfully. I hope it helps you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I come from a family of smokers. Some of us quit; some of us haven't. A smoker needs 2 things to quit:
1. The desire to quit.
2. The belief that one can quit.
Neither of these things can possibly come from the outside. Smoking is a behavior. The addiction is not. Lots of steps involved in smoking, especially if there are none in the house. One possible scenario of many:

1. Get dressed.
2. Find the keys.
3. Walk to the car.
4. Enter the car.
5. Start the car.
6. Leave the house.
7. Drive to the store (numerous substeps involved here).
8. Park the car.
9. Get out of the car.
10. Enter the store.
11. Approach the cashier.
12. Take a breath of sweet, clean, nicotine-free air.
13. Ask for a pack of cigarettes.
14. Pay for the cigarettes (possible substeps here).
15. Exit the store.
16. Tamp the pack (we used to call it 'pack' but I'm trying to avoid confusion).
17. Open the pack (several substeps here).
18. Remove a cigarette.
19. Place the cigarette in the mouth.
20. Find fire (undoubtedly many substeps involved).
21. Light the cigarette.

Every one of these steps and substeps involved a decision toward behavior. Each of these decisions is an opportunity to behave differently.
Smoking is a decision to behave. Stopping smoking is likewise a decision to behave. It's not an easy decision, but the responsibility lies completely and absolutely with the individual - no one else.

 

[The Man]

I agree...but the biggest part is the addiction.
Example...smoke a weak cigarette and you will want one shortly thereafter.
Its a damn drug of sort...but worthless as it doesnt make you feel good nor cure any ailments.
Your mind tells you that you need more of this poison as it has ran out...or getting low.
Something then is satisfied as you got your nicotine...but the conscious mood isnt altered.
IMO they should just make em illegal and be done with it....they serve no legitimate purpose.
They are bad for you....bottom line
Lets say they hit the market today{if they didnt already exist}....it would never fly.
A product whose sole purpose is to get you hooked...so you buy more.......sounds like it should be illegal hey?
Now if they made you happy...woke you up...made you sleepy etc...they could have a purpose.
Hell they dont tatse good....you have shitty and tolerable...smoke does not tatse good..isnt supposed to.
They serve no purpose other than the addiction itself.

 

[Accountable]

Yes, it's an addiction, but the biggest obstacle is giving that word 'addiction' too much power over you. Attitude is everything. There are a million reasons not to quit, but you can't smoke if there isn't one in your hand, or if you don't have a way to light it.

I was lucky when I quit. I was smoking 2 packs a day. I'd half-assed tried to quit a dozen times, but I didn't really want to. But on March 25, 1990, I was getting ready to leave the US to go to my new station in the UK (I was in the Air Force). I got up that morning & noticed that I only had 3 or 4 cigarettes left in the pack. On impulse, I dropped them in the trash before having that first smoke of the morning. I think that was key. My beloved thought I'd lost my mind. I could see her silently estimate how long I'd last before I grabbed the pack back & lit up. *wry grin*

When we left the hotel & got to JFK, the ticket lady asked "Smoking or non-smoking?" Y'all remember those days? I said "Non-smoking." and thought I would have to catch my beloved as she fainted dead away. Instead she laughed at the joke, but couldn't believe it when I didn't change my mind. Honestly, I was thinking that the smoking section was bound to have an empty seat, and you can always find someone willing to spare a cigarette.

Well, the plane was packed, and I found it hard to ask a complete stranger for a cigarette, so I didn't get any smokes the whole flight to England. Once we arrived, I decided to see how long I could last. Well, since nobody knew me, they all assumed I was a non-smoker and treated me as such. I never told anyone I was "trying" to quit, so no one felt obligated to ask me how it's going with my quitting, or share their own horror stories of trying to quit, or any of the other things that serve only to torture the person trying to quit. I was simply, and suddenly, a non-smoker.

I haven't smoked since. I have to say that I was deathly afraid to drink for about 4 months because smoking is such a natural partner to it. I've since overcome that problem. I mean, I'm no saint, right?

 

[porterjack]

I was lucky when I quit. I was smoking 2 packs a day. I'd half-assed tried to quit a dozen times, but I didn't really want to. But on March 25, 1990, I was getting ready to leave the US to go to my new station in the UK (I was in the Air Force). I got up that morning & noticed that I only had 3 or 4 cigarettes left in the pack. On impulse, I dropped them in the trash before having that first smoke of the morning. I think that was key. My beloved thought I'd lost my mind. I could see her silently estimate how long I'd last before I grabbed the pack back & lit up. *wry grin*

When we left the hotel & got to JFK, the ticket lady asked "Smoking or non-smoking?" Y'all remember those days? I said "Non-smoking." and thought I would have to catch my beloved as she fainted dead away. Instead she laughed at the joke, but couldn't believe it when I didn't change my mind. Honestly, I was thinking that the smoking section was bound to have an empty seat, and you can always find someone willing to spare a cigarette.

Well, the plane was packed, and I found it hard to ask a complete stranger for a cigarette, so I didn't get any smokes the whole flight to England. Once we arrived, I decided to see how long I could last. Well, since nobody knew me, they all assumed I was a non-smoker and treated me as such. I never told anyone I was "trying" to quit, so no one felt obligated to ask me how it's going with my quitting, or share their own horror stories of trying to quit, or any of the other things that serve only to torture the person trying to quit. I was simply, and suddenly, a non-smoker.

I haven't smoked since. I have to say that I was deathly afraid to drink for about 4 months because smoking is such a natural partner to it. I've since overcome that problem. I mean, I'm no saint, right?

fess up you just could bring yourself to ask them limeys for a fag when you get there

 

[darkcgi]

I've quit cold turkey for 6 weeks now.

 

[Accountable]

I quit Wild Turkey once.

 

[The Man]

Yes, it's an addiction, but the biggest obstacle is giving that word 'addiction' too much power over you. Attitude is everything. There are a million reasons not to quit, but you can't smoke if there isn't one in your hand, or if you don't have a way to light it.

I was lucky when I quit. I was smoking 2 packs a day. I'd half-assed tried to quit a dozen times, but I didn't really want to. But on March 25, 1990, I was getting ready to leave the US to go to my new station in the UK (I was in the Air Force). I got up that morning & noticed that I only had 3 or 4 cigarettes left in the pack. On impulse, I dropped them in the trash before having that first smoke of the morning. I think that was key. My beloved thought I'd lost my mind. I could see her silently estimate how long I'd last before I grabbed the pack back & lit up. *wry grin*

When we left the hotel & got to JFK, the ticket lady asked "Smoking or non-smoking?" Y'all remember those days? I said "Non-smoking." and thought I would have to catch my beloved as she fainted dead away. Instead she laughed at the joke, but couldn't believe it when I didn't change my mind. Honestly, I was thinking that the smoking section was bound to have an empty seat, and you can always find someone willing to spare a cigarette.

Well, the plane was packed, and I found it hard to ask a complete stranger for a cigarette, so I didn't get any smokes the whole flight to England. Once we arrived, I decided to see how long I could last. Well, since nobody knew me, they all assumed I was a non-smoker and treated me as such. I never told anyone I was "trying" to quit, so no one felt obligated to ask me how it's going with my quitting, or share their own horror stories of trying to quit, or any of the other things that serve only to torture the person trying to quit. I was simply, and suddenly, a non-smoker.

I haven't smoked since. I have to say that I was deathly afraid to drink for about 4 months because smoking is such a natural partner to it. I've since overcome that problem. I mean, I'm no saint, right?

Good story...the best part is when we see someone else succeed..we are more apt to say we can beat it to.
I have gone close to a year and a few months here and there.....how long before someone can say he quit?
I I really dont look at it as quiting as I failed...so I will just say I stopped for extended periods.

My question...how long before you quit craving them?

 

[Accountable]

It really wasn't long at all. It would sneak up on me unexpectedly even after a year or so, but since I didn't have any smokes it was easier to resist.


Oh yeh. I used to say I quit every night .... until I started again the next morning.

 

[The Man]

Hard cinnamon candy does help me somewhat....anything help prevent the craving for you when it returns?

 

[The Man]

Oh..and I set 7 for my limit again today...and had six so far...so I will be able to keep this goal...will aim for 6 next week.
For me a sudden quit is often a fail aswhen I smoke again I am smoking alot for the first few days..am going to try the wean approach.

 

[Accountable]

Nah. I just gutted it out. It passed after a couple minutes. Just stay in non-smoking areas. That makes it easier. They get weaker with time.

 

[The Man]

Well I cant let Accountable beat me at being able to quit....Now I may have to quit just so we can tie.

 

[Accountable]

LOL! I don't know about you, but I was bone thin when I smoked. I gained 30 lbs in the 4 months after I quit, then leveled off. The one habit I never broke was the habit of bending the elbow and touching my lips. The difference is that instead of touching them with a cigarette, I use popcorn, nuts, chips, etc etc etc. Hehehehehe
I graze constantly now, but I stay active so I don't get TOO fat.

But hey, you can do this. You're The Man! :thumbup

 

[The Man]

I have had one cigarette today...I am off to a decent start {depending on how you look at it.}

 

[darkcgi]

Just say to your self.
I'm stopping right now. I don't need to declare it to anyone else, cause that will put pressure on me from them and the comments.
Every time you want a cigarette get some candy or something
Use the electronic cigarettes

I am currently in the same boat but I have stopped for almost 2 months now.
Don't make a plan
Just get it out of your head
every time you want a cigarette tell yourself "I DON'T NEED IT!"

 

[darkcgi]

there is no cutting back
its just cold turkey
all or none